


Battle Cry

by smarmsi



Series: Balcony Kisses (Er, Sorta) [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Angsty kissing, Arguing, Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Balcony Scene, F/M, Hurt Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, marinette forgets she's not always a superhero
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-20 14:45:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11337639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smarmsi/pseuds/smarmsi
Summary: Sometimes Marinette forgets that others see a civilian instead of a superhero.It shouldn't matter. It does to Chat.





	Battle Cry

**Author's Note:**

> personal hc - marinette is stubborn as a bull when she thinks she's right about something.
> 
> -  
> Got an idea? Hit me up on [tumblr](http://smarmsi.tumblr.com/)!

Marinette waits for the tapping of his boots against her railing before letting the blanket fall from her shoulders, landing on the cold brick with a gentle _whump_. The air bites, but the silence bites harder, and she lets out a quiet breath before turning to look at him.

Chat Noir leans against the twisting metal, silhouette edged in silver moonlight. His face is in shadows, but she sees the way his hands clench on the rail and his shoulders strain.

“You…today…” the words come slowly, painfully, ground out from between clenched teeth and a mind that refuses to stop seeing worse-case scenarios. His eyes fall to the pink line that cuts across her thigh. The sight seems to anger him, and he turns, refusing to look at her. His breath escapes him in what Marinette thinks is meant to be a laugh.

“Why’d you have to play the damn hero, princess?” His voice is tight. Displeased.

It’s instinctual, the way Marinette rises to her full height, lengthening her spine and clenching her fists, setting her jaw.

“They were in danger. I won’t sit and watch when I have the power to help.” 

Chat whirls on her, his expression incredulous and angry.

“ _You_ were in danger. You _put_ yourself in danger.” He is correct, but she is _right_ —she _knows_ she is, that what she stands for is right and true in a way that defines her very reality—defines who she is as a person, and a superhero, more than the spots and abilities, more than Tikki’s power.

“I made them safe. That family is together because of my actions.” Chat stares at her, and she meets his gaze head-on, daring him to contradict her.

“Ladybug’s Lucky Charm would have fixed anything that went wrong.” Yes, well, _she’s_ Ladybug, isn’t she.

“It wouldn’t have erased their memories. Can Lucky Charm fix the trauma of watching your child be injured by a monster?” No, it can’t.

Chat snarls and starts to pace. He knows she is right and it angers him that she refuses to back down.

Marinette has witnessed the scars akumas leave behind—the flinching, the hesitance, the panic. The nightmares.

“You got seriously hurt, and Lucky Charm didn’t completely fix it—if you had been more injured, it may not have been able to heal you at all! I can’t let you get hurt if this,” he gestures wildly to her leg, “is the new normal!” 

“That’s not something you can control, Chat.”

“Why are you so—!” He cuts himself off, tugging harshly at his hair. 

His tail lashes. She glares.

“I _will_ keep helping people,” she states, voice like thunder. His expression is furious.

“You—! _Ladybug and I_ are the superheroes! _We_ have the powers and the abilities and the super-suits! You _don’t_!” Boots slam against the ground.

“I _will not_ apologize for I did today!”

She’s barely finished the sentence before Chat has yanked her in and slammed his lips on hers. She fights for a few seconds, still enraged, until she realizes that he is not staging a battle. No, Chat Noir is shaking where his hands cup her face, the press of his mouth against hers spelling panic and fear.

_He is terrified_ , she realizes, the thought striking through her like a lightning bolt.

She returns the kiss, shoving all her worries and frustrations and panic into the dizzying way he is licking into her mouth and sweeps his tongue across hers. The electricity that jolts through her wipes her mind of everything except the way her stomach swoops like a bird in flight when he bites at her lips.

His hands grasp at her hips, dragging her against him, tail wrapping around her calf as though he can’t pull her near enough; even pressed together chest to knee, he makes a desperate noise and tries to push closer. Claws drag across her body—he can’t stop touching her, like she’ll disappear if he so much as looks away for a moment. 

The world tilts and Chat’s lips are her anchor, the line of his body against hers a sparking heat.

Eventually, they break apart—only a hair, lips barely brushing and each touch goes straight to her core.

“Please,” he whispers, his voice hoarse and begging. “Please, Marinette. For me.” Her eyes flick to his—they’re green and brilliant and filled with a terrible urgency. “Promise you won’t get hurt.” For a second, she simply watches him, gaze distant.

“Kitty,” she murmurs. “My knight.” _Mon chaton_ , she wants to say.

“ _Please_ ,” he says again, desperation threading his voice. “I could never forgive myself if that happened.” She frowns, looking away from him.

“You know it’s not a choice whether civilians get hurt, Chat. Akuma attacks are random—”

“I’m not asking any civilian, Mari. I’m asking you.” A hand cups her cheek and she drags her eyes back to that pleading, frightened expression, heart shredding in her chest. “When you see an akuma, run. Get somewhere safe. Let me and Ladybug handle it. _Please_ , Mari, promise me that you will.”

Never in her life has she wanted to tell him who she is more than she does at this moment. It’s on the tip of her tongue—why he doesn’t have to worry, why she won’t get hurt, why she can’t keep that promise. The urge swells within her ribcage, pressing out, reaching toward him with all the strength of a tidal wave. She takes a breath to say it—

But her common sense, her logical brain, and yes—her fear—stop her short. She nearly chokes on the battle that rages in her throat. Her next words burn as she drags them up past the carnage, and they leave her mouth tasting of ash.

“I promise.” Chat sways forward, knocking his forehead against hers. 

“Thank you,” he says, breathless in relief. She swallows hard around the dead weight of the secret she’s keeping, letting her gaze drop. Her heart is in pieces behind her sternum, a throb of pain accompanying each beat.

Chat kisses her again, sweetly and hesitantly, and she squeezes her eyes shut, forcing back the tears that burn behind her eyes.

_I’m sorry, Chat_ , she thinks as he bids her farewell and leaps away, a dark shadow on the rooftops. _I can’t keep that promise._

**Author's Note:**

> again, tumblr is [here](http://smarmsi.tumblr.com/).
> 
> Comments and kudos are always wonderful!


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